Croom Medical’s work within the European COGNIMAN project is addressing a demanding part of metal additive manufacturing: the operations that follow the print. Support removal, finishing and inspection must account for complex geometries while preserving the characteristics required of the component.
The published programme for COGNIMAN’s October 2026 solutions webinars included a dedicated Croom session on post-processing metal 3D-printed medical implants, scheduled for 20 October. The programme highlights research connecting manufacturing knowledge with robotics and digital process control.
The challenge after printing
Additive manufacturing can produce intricate shapes, but the completed build is only one stage in the manufacturing route. Components must be separated from the build, supporting material removed and the relevant surfaces finished before subsequent process and inspection requirements can be completed.
The Croom use case focuses on the challenge of automating these operations across varied geometries and smaller batches. The project’s original pilot description used additively manufactured bone screws as an example, with the aim of developing a solution that could be reconfigured for different components and accept direction from an operator.
This flexibility is central to the industrial question. Automation must accommodate the part being made and the process required. For manufacturers working across multiple implant designs, the ability to adapt matters alongside repeatability.
FlexiFinish: combining geometry and robotic control
In February 2026, COGNIMAN introduced FlexiFinish, a robotic finishing demonstrator developed by project partners IRT, Aldakin and NORCE around the challenges represented by Croom’s use case. It combines sensing, process-planning algorithms and digital information to support automated finishing of complex metal parts.
The demonstrator draws on CAD/CAM and digital-twin information to plan operations. Its approach covers support removal, polishing and surface finishing, with adaptation to geometry and process conditions. The development objectives include more consistent finishing, reduced repetitive workload and practical collaboration between operators and robots.
This remains a demonstrator and research programme. The significance for Croom is the opportunity to test how those technologies respond to real manufacturing requirements and to establish what would be needed for a controlled production application.
Keeping the operator connected
COGNIMAN also considers the information needed to coordinate the wider process. The project’s Manufacturing Assistant System brings job preparation, build monitoring, robotic post-processing and quality information into an operator interface.
The published toolbox describes functions for reviewing build plans, following progress, assigning robotic operations and managing alerts. These tools support the research pilot’s ambition to connect the physical operation with a clear account of what is happening and where human attention is needed.
From research to manufacturing relevance
COGNIMAN is a Horizon Europe project running from January 2023 to December 2026, bringing together 16 partners across seven European countries. Its work combines digital twins, sensing, machine learning and robotics across several industrial use cases.
For OEM partners, Croom’s participation shows continued investment in the processes needed to make complex additive components practical to manufacture. The focus is on developing repeatable finishing methods and evaluating how flexible automation can support future capacity.
Explore the FlexiFinish demonstrator and project video for a closer look at the approach.
